Advances in battery technology have led to the use of batteries as an essential power source. For example, batteries have been used to supply power during peak load times and as emergency back-up systems.
High energy density batteries are particularly attractive. For example, traditional lead-acid batteries may be capable of supplying 25 watts per kilogram of battery. In contrast, lithium-ion batteries may be capable of providing 150 watts per kilogram of battery. Therefore, high energy density batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, are advantageous when overall weight is a consideration, such as on aircraft and automobiles.
Unfortunately, specific battery sizes are generally required for specific applications. As such, a vehicle that uses three batteries may, due to the application, require three different sizes of batteries. For example, a vehicle's back-up system may employ one type of battery, while the vehicle's navigation system may be backed-up with a different size or type of battery. As such, users that deploy a variety of batteries in a variety of applications are required to stock many different sizes and ratings of batteries.
As indicated above, batteries are relatively heavy. Therefore, stocked batteries on a vehicle significantly increase the overall weight of the vehicle. This increase in weight is even more significant when multiple different types of batteries are being stocked due to the greater number of batteries present. Furthermore, stocked batteries occupy a significant amount of space, which may be limited in the case of vehicles (e.g., aircraft).
Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research and development efforts in the field of battery systems and methods.